Thrice in a Moment
by Anjelle
Summary: After an attack from a Celestial Dragon, Sabo found himself aboard a marine vessel off the shores of Dawn Island with no recollection of who he was. Eight years later sees him donning the iconic white and blue uniform himself. But upon his return to HQ Sabo is given an odd mission: track down Fire Fist Ace with an offer to join the Seven Warlords. (Canon divergent)
1. Grandfather

**GUESS WHO'S BACK? With... something new again... ahahaha... In all honesty I've been trying to keep to smaller projects because I just started working and am still getting used to everything, and there was this oneshot I wanted to write about Sabo as a marine. Well... it's not a oneshot anymore. But it won't be too long! It should be something I can finish within a few chapters, and I've already started on the second one. So I'll stop rambling here and let you get to it.**

 **Enjoy~**

* * *

 _Firstly came softly-spoken words from around him, his tired brain unable to discern one from the other as they murmured back and forth. His head hurt, but more than that was a blistering pain across the left side of his body. He squirmed just a bit, just a tiny shift as his back grew sore from his stagnant rest, and the moment he did so the injuries throbbed and he let out a quiet hiss as he fell limp against the mattress in defeat. It didn't look like he was going to be getting up so soon… Maybe another few hours of rest would see him in better shape._

 _These thoughts fell flat when he noticed an eerie silence fell the moment he'd let out that small hiss of pain, and he supposed whoever was there with him realised that he was awake. He had to debate with himself a moment, one part of him still vying for that rest he'd been so eager for, but eventually that part lost out as he cautiously opened his eyes to the white ceiling of the room. They fluttered, not quite ready for the light, and he wondered just how long he'd been lying there. But as his sight adjusted he found himself lifting his head—ignoring the painful pinch it caused on the left side of his neck—and peering around at the few people in the room with him. They were all wearing the same uniform, white with a blue neckerchief. A few wore hats, "MARINE" emblazoned across the front, and he was starting to understand who these people were._

" _Sabo?" one called, a woman with pink hair pulled back into a ponytail, a cigarette held lazily between her lips as she dropped down into a chair beside the bed. He watched her a moment, blinking confusedly as he tried to think of how to respond. "That's your name, isn't it? It was written on your clothes."_

" _Is it?" He blinked and then frowned, allowing his head to fall back against the pillow. The stinging from holding it up proved too painful. He mulled the name over in his head for a while but nothing seemed to click, furrowing his brows as he tried to place it. "I guess…"_

 _Her eyes narrowed and she turned to one of the men in the room, hunching forward with her arms resting on her knees as they exchanged a glance. "Well. Would you look at that? Seems we have a bit of a mess here."_

 _The man snorted, his arms crossed over his chest as he leaned back against the wall. "Not our problem. Kid's a noble—just gotta bring him back to Goa and let them sort it out."_

 _Immediately he tensed, shooting upright despite the protests of pain that sprang to life across his left side. Wide-eyed he stared between them as an oncoming of dread left him feeling sick. "_ No _!"_

 _When both turned to look at him, he shrank back a bit, turning to stare down at his lap. He didn't know where that outburst came from but he_ did _know that he wanted nothing to do with the cause._

" _I-I mean…" He swallowed, cleared his throat. "Please… I-I don't want to go back._ Anywhere but there _."_

 _The woman leaned back in her seat, one leg crossing over the other as her head tilted curiously. "So you do remember?"_

 _He shook his head. "Not really… But I just—I feel like if I go back something bad will happen. I don't want to._ Please _don't make me."_

 _She let out a breath, taking the cigarette between her fingers and glancing over at the others in the room. "Well?"_

" _We can't just bring some kid back to HQ with us…"_

" _Hell, his parents are probably looking for him."_

 _She rolled her eyes and turned to the man still standing indifferently in the corner of the room. "Hina will talk to the captain about this."_

 _Sabo's shoulders slumped in relief and he carefully lowered himself back down onto the bed, watching as the woman got up and left the room, the others following until only the man with the cigar remained. He watched the other, fidgeting nervously. Well, he'd probably just caused everyone a big annoyance… As guilty as that made him feel, he couldn't bring himself to take it back. When even his name was foreign all that remained was a burning desire to get as far away from wherever they were as possible, and he grasped at those feelings with all he had._

" _Get some rest, kid."_

* * *

He kicked up his feet onto the wood of the desk, chair tilted back on an angle and arms folded behind his head as he let out a hum. Beside his crossed ankles rested a small pile of off-white paper. Every month they would get sent the most recent batch of wanted posters—new pirates, some raised bounties. None of them really caught his interest. Hell, the only notable thing this time around was that there were only three and the photos weren't all that great. Two were blurry, and one even cut out part of the criminal's face. _Nice job on that one, guys._ Well, they were clear enough to make out, at least. He'd recognise the pirates if he saw them. But as he stared at the freckled face on the top poster his foot began to fidget, ticking back and forth almost impatiently as his thoughts turned blank.

"Cap'n?"

His gaze lifted to the doorway, and he felt a small shame for not noticing his subordinate enter. Even if it was excusable that he didn't hear the soft click of the handle being pressed and shoved open, the light filtering in from the entranceway made it entirely obvious. "What's up?"

The woman pressed her lips together in show of her displeasure at the casual tone but it was quickly forgotten as she nodded outside. "We're about to dock."

Sabo blinked, eyebrows raised in surprise as he nodded and shooed her. "I'll be out soon. Just give me a moment."

It was hard to miss the roll of her eyes as she closed the door behind her.

His gaze fell back to the stack of rookie pirates and he let out a sigh. Small fish, alright. The only one with a bounty over one hundred million was Portgas, but he'd been around for a solid year by that point; his bounty before then was fifty million. Yeah, sure, alright, Sabo was a bit of a newbie himself, but he'd already caught and jailed some pretty big fish. This Portgas guy just seemed to be taking a leisurely stroll into the Grandline without much drive. Sabo'd just left training last year and was already commanding his own ship… not that he was so sure he _liked_ commanding his own ship. There was a lot of paperwork, and he was _good_ at paperwork, but that didn't make it any less of a time waster in his eyes.

Sabo shook his head and let out a sigh, running a hand down his face as he lowered his feet, the front legs of the chair clacking against the floorboard. What was he doing? Where were his thoughts even _going_? He was tired, he was overworked, and he was looking forward to taking it easy at Headquarters for the next little while. The nights aboard his new ship had been long and a bit frustrating, with the swaying of the waves keeping him from uninterrupted rest. It probably had something to do with the seas of the Grandline being so rough; most of his childhood was spent in East and North Blue under the guidance of various mentors, seeing as they were currently without a proper instructor for young recruits—or more specifically a proper instructor for _him_ , as he'd proved too skilled for beginner lessons right from the start. Sure he'd been out at sea there, too, but it'd been a while…

Or maybe that was an excuse. Lately his thoughts had been a bit scattered, disorganised in a way that he was unaccustomed, and he kept _thinking_ —

" _Captain_ ," called that same voice, and when he snapped to attention he could see her bulky frame blocking the doorway, muscled arms crossing over his chest.

He cleared his throat and rose from his seat, tucking the bounty posters into the top drawer of his desk before crossing over to her. "Right, sorry. I was just gathering my things."

"Your things?" Her eyes cast downwards to his empty hands.

"My thoughts," came the quick save, and even though she saw through it she let it slide as they stepped out onto the deck. His crew was already docking, some staying behind to lug their supplies off the ship, and he greeted them as he walked by.

That place never really changed. He could still remember his first time there, awed by the sheer _size_ of it all. Marineford was more fortress than not, which was definitely necessary, as it was the base of operations for the entire organisation. But inside the fortress walls was far more impressive—a city for the families of the marines surrounding the main structure, a safe haven for all of their loved ones. In a way, maybe that was what he was most excited to get back to.

Maybe he could feel at home for once.

They wandered up the staircases, floor after floor, and when they finally reached the top level Sabo spun on his heel and turned to face his first mate. "Thanks, but I can take it from here."

She gave Sabo an incredulous look, shifting her weight. "I'm supposed to go with you for the report, aren't I?"

"Technically?" The uncertainty of his tone didn't seem to leave her all too impressed. Sabo just waved it off. "I got it, alright? Why don't you head down to the cafeteria and take it easy for today?"

Her unimpressed glare remained a while longer before an exasperated breath saw her turning back down the staircase, Sabo watching after her with a victorious grin.

Sabo spun on his heel and walked down the hall, his shoes clacking against the tiles, the sound bouncing off of the walls around him, until finally he halted before a set of large doors. He gripped and turned the handle, pushing one of them open and stepping forward with it, allowing it to fall shut as he strode across to the next door, the one leading to the fleet admiral's office, and knocked. And knocked again. And yet there was no answer.

He let out a sigh as he took a seat on one of the chairs set against the wall, arms folded over his chest, posture slouched and foot tapping against the ground. It wasn't like that was the first time Sengoku hadn't been there when Sabo went for a visit but it'd been a good month and a half since they last met. Sabo was eager to see him again… and even _more_ eager to go collapse in bed for a few hours.

It wasn't long before Sabo's attention was stolen by a rather large man seated across from him. He was older, white hairs more a show of age than stress, which he found rare in his line of work. Broad arms and shoulders were hidden away behind the sleeves of a light grey suit, but even unable to see the definition Sabo could tell that this old man had a lot of strength to him. Whoever he was, he seemed content enough to pass the time there munching on rice crackers. Easy to please, maybe? Well, most of the old marines Sabo knew were much the same, perfectly happy patiently waiting for something new to crop up. Sabo himself didn't appreciate sitting around. Maybe one day he would, as age caught up with him.

It was after stealing a few extra glimpses at the elder's face that he started to notice a strange familiarity. Shape of the eyes, scar running across the left side of the face, placement of age lines…

And then it clicked. His mouth curled into a grin as he scooted forward on his chair, leaning closer. "Monkey D. Garp?" The man finally seemed to notice him, having spent the past few minutes more interested in his snack. "It's you, isn't it? Hero of the Marines. I _knew_ you looked familiar."

Garp's careless snacking came to an abrupt halt as he looked Sabo over, a smirk on his face. "Oh? And who're you supposed to be, kid? Haven't seen you around."

"Ah, well—" He rose from his seat and instinct called upon him to smooth out his uniform with his gloved hands, trying to appear a _little_ more professional than he felt, even if he knew the effort would fall flat when the one he was speaking to was known for not caring for appearances. "I've spent a lot of time in East Blue. I saw you once when I was younger, I just… didn't introduce myself."

"That doesn't answer my question, brat."

"Oh, right." Sabo laughed, rubbing the back of his neck before offering his hand to the man seated before him. "Cap'n Sabo Outlook. A pleasure."

Sabo was prepared for the man to ignore the handshake. Garp wasn't one for formalities, he knew, and offered more out of habit than expectation, but watching the confident smirk wash off his superior's face was something else entirely. He quickly lowered his hand, a small bit of nervous fear bubbling up in the pit of his stomach.

Eventually Garp broke eye contact to shake his head, hand running through his hair as he let out a heavy breath. "Sabo, eh? Haven't heard that name in a while."

"Sir?"

Garp snorted, his snacks left forgotten on his lap as the grin from before returned. "Don't mind it. Take a seat and keep me company, brat. Senny's taking his sweet time."

The unease never left but Sabo didn't let it show, glancing at the entrance only once before complying with the command. He sat down beside Garp and fell silent. It was a strange situation; Garp had been his hero ever since childhood, hearing stories about the fall of the pirate king and the capture that led to it—how Vice Admiral Garp would refuse promotion to keep his freedom, how he was everyone's hero. Those old stories were part of the reason Sabo was where he was, wearing a white uniform with the iconic symbol of the Marine's justice emblazoned across it. So it was exciting to finally meet the man from the stories, but all of his thoughts were instead fixated on Garp's bizarre reaction to hearing his name.

"Close call on the field?"

When Sabo looked over he saw Garp's eyes fall to the scarred half of his face and neck, and he pressed his fingertips to the malformed skin. That seemed a bit… off. He never thought _Garp_ , of all people, would question a man's scars… "Ah, no. Accident when I was a kid. I don't remember what happened, but there was a fire on my boat when I lived in East Blue. Some patrolling marines found and treated me."

Stranger still was that his story was met with little more than an acknowledging nod. There was no surprise on his face, no lead into further conversation, just… acceptance. It was an empty gesture that didn't sit well with Sabo, one that he didn't think he'd be able to just get over.

Silence fell. A few moments passed.

"My grandson's name is Sabo."

He blinked, eyebrow raised as some of the tension let up and Sabo relaxed enough to slouch back against the wall. He'd never met anyone who shared his name before… "Oh yeah?"

Garp nodded, a grin on his face. "I have three. Raised them to be good, strong marines. But those little brats wanted to go off and become _pirates_ , of all things! Bwahaha!"

Sabo's lips twitched, and soon he was smiling in match to the old man's laughter as what was left of the tension seemed to melt off his shoulders. At least Garp seemed to have a sense of humour. No other marine would have brought up a family member wanting to be a pirate; it was considered shameful and embarrassing. "Sounds troublesome... You'll get through to them one day. Hopefully."

Garp snorted, shaking his head. "One of them already went off and set sail last year."

He wanted to be sympathetic but somehow found himself chuckling at the thought. "Bet he didn't even tell you before he left, either…"

Garp shook his head, allowing a small pause of thought. "But Sabo's becoming a fine marine. Maybe one of them took my lessons to heart."

"Really? He grinned, twisting around to fully face his superior. "I bet you're proud."

"I think I am, bwahahaha!"

Sabo's smile softened and the peculiarity of their earlier conversation vanished from thought. Somehow it was nice, hearing the infamous Hero of the Marines talk so openly about his family. It made him seem a little more human, a little more real. "And the last one? Still have a chance with him, you think?"

"Not at all! The little shit's been idolising one of the Four Emperors since he was just a boy. Shanks."

"An emperor?" He snickered, leaning back against the wall. Not only an emperor, but one of Roger's crew members, wasn't he? That had to be a low blow to the one who'd been praised for ending the pirate king's reign… "Seems like you've got your hands full with that one."

Garp nodded, his fingers tangled together in his lap. "They're good kids, though. All of them."

Sabo glanced over, never mentioning the stern look that seemed to wash over Garp's face. He fought with himself over what to say next—this was his childhood _idol_ , and despite everything he just couldn't seem to _think_.

But soon the larger doors at the end of the room creaked open, a large man revealed on the other side—a familiar man, and as their eyes met Sabo raised a hand in lazy greeting, "Yo."

Sengoku barely gave him more than a look before focusing instead on Garp. "There you are." He nodded to the office and Garp just laughed. It wasn't hard to see how unimpressed the fleet admiral was with that response as he moved across the room and snatched the bag of rice crackers right out of Garp's arms before storming into the office.

Garp blinked a moment before rising up from his chair and stomping into the other room. "Ah! Those are mine!"

Those were the last words Sabo heard before the door slammed shut, and he was left alone in the waiting room. His eyes scurried across the garish paintings set across the walls, chalking the tacky decor up to Sengoku's rising age as he heard sounds coming from the office. At first all he heard was the booming laughter so iconic of Garp, a quality that showed just how laid back he was—and how gutsy, considering that was his superior he was laughing at. With? At or with? Well, perhaps Sabo would've known if he could have heard the conversation…

It wasn't long before an equally loud, much less amused voice could be made out—one that went from shouting to angered yelling, unsurprising when Garp didn't seem to have a care in the world. It made Sabo all the more curious about what they were talking about… It had to be a serious matter for Sengoku to brush him off like that.

Thinking back to it had him pouting. Blown off, just like that…

It took about twenty minutes for the office door to open up and for Garp to step out, walking by with smirk on his face—apparently still unfazed by whatever Sengoku had been yelling about.

"Never heard him quite that pissed off, I've got to say," Sabo stated, standing up to walk the old man to the door. "I'm impressed."

"Bwahaha! Then you haven't been around him enough!" Garp slapped him on the back and Sabo jerked forward, _just_ managing to keep his balance. "Tread lightly, brat. He's in a mood."

"So I've heard…" _Literally_. "It was nice speaking with you, Sir."

Garp just snorted, as expected. But what he didn't expect was a sudden, forceful tussle of his hair before Garp walked out. He sputtered, his hair a frazzled mess that he hurried to straighten out. _What the hell was that about…?_

After taming his hair—at least as much as he _could_ —Sabo stepped into the office, only to see Sengoku sitting at his desk, munching on snacks from the bag confiscated from Garp. Sabo snorted before wandering a little further into the room, offering a mock salute. "It's good to see you again."

"You look well," Sengoku returned, shoving his hand into the bag once more. Looking at him then, he didn't seem all that different from Garp. "Take a seat."

Sabo complied without thought, his posture straight and tall—formal out of habit—and he didn't hesitate to begin in his report. "In total we've sent 312 pirates to Marineford since setting sail back in June. Most weren't very notable, but we were able to investigate one Edward Teach—"

Sengoku held up his hand, pausing Sabo's words without much thought or care. "Your first mate has been keeping me up to date." Of course she had been. He should have expected as much. "How have you been enjoying your new position?"

"It's great," he said, almost out of instinct, but Sengoku's raised eyebrow had him slouching back with a pout. "...But I'll admit that I miss working on my own sometimes."

He caught the way Sengoku looked at him then, narrowed eyes more piqued with interest than judgemental, and he wasn't sure how he felt about the stare he was being given. "I have a job for you."

"What, no vacation?"

Sengoku gave him a look before opening one of the desk drawers to retrieve an off-white paper, sliding it across to Sabo—a wanted poster. The moment he saw the picture he recognised it but still his eyes fell to the name and he read it with muted curiosity: _Portgas D. Ace._ "This man has been recently dubbed Fire Fist Ace after obtaining and eating a logia devil fruit. He's been a handful since and I want you to deliver something to him—a formal offer to join the Warlords."

Sabo raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms over his chest stubbornly. This all seemed like a big waste of time… "Don't you usually just mail those out?"

"He's been moving sporadically," Sengoku stated with a sigh, rubbing his temple. "We haven't been able to locate him fast enough to get it delivered. I know you. You'll make quick work of a job like this."

"My crew?"

"We've had some casualties at one of the Grand Line bases. They'll be sent to fill those positions until we can find permanent replacements."

Well, it didn't sound like he had much choice in the matter, and Sabo wasn't usually one to question orders. Those words were met with a smirk as he threw his hands behind his head and relaxed. "Fine, alright. Might be nice to have a few weeks to myself."

Sengoku nodded in approval before handing over a stack of papers with further details. "I knew you'd say that."

Sabo grinned as he flipped through them carelessly. There was a little more information on Portgas and the crew calling themselves the Spade Pirates— _really? Because his name is 'Ace'? How simplistic…_ He wondered if he'd actually use any of it. "Well, I'd hope so. You've known me long enough."

The statement was waved off. "You leave tomorrow. But when you meet this pirate, I want you undercover. Don't use your real name."

He blinked, the papers lowered to his lap. "...Why should I?"

"Fire Fist is both aggressive and combative. You've been making a name for yourself as of late, and I have no doubt that if he knows who you are he'll see your strength and want to fight you. That would only muddy negotiations."

"Fine, fine, I'll think something up…" It was true that Sabo Outlook was a name used in the paper once or thrice and that no photos had accompanied them. He could see where Sengoku was coming from. But that left him rubbing the back of his neck, unsure of what to go by. His name was the one thing he'd held onto after his accident… It didn't feel right going by something else. "Is that all?"

"Report to me the moment you find out his answer."

Sabo snorted and rose from his seat, offering a second mock salute. "Aye-aye. His answer will be 'yes', just so you know."

A raised eyebrow prompted him for more, and his cocky nature radiated off him in waves.

"I can be quite persuasive."

* * *

Sabo's walk through the city saw him staring at that small stack of papers he'd been given, his brow furrowed. He managed to avoid bumping into anyone or anything, which was a practiced skill having walked down those busy streets many times before. The information on those papers left him scratching his head. Portgas was from East Blue, the same as Sabo—he could appreciate that. Coming from the weakest sea meant a lot of subsequent mockery that Sabo didn't much appreciate, and he didn't doubt that went double for a criminal. At least the marines found it to be a sign of peace and hope… Pirates likely weren't as kind.

The devil fruit Portgas consumed was the mera mera, a logia like Sengoku had said. Specifically it gave Portgas the element of fire, one of the more outright destructive abilities out there. In a fight it could prove deadly, but Sabo'd been taught haki and his staff had some seastone coating, so he would be okay even if the pirate's temper flared. But aside from brute strength Portgas didn't seem like all that malicious a pirate. Hell, dine-and-dash was the most frequent mention on his list of crimes. On the surface he seemed like a two-bit criminal, certainly not worth the price of his head…

But then there were a few violent acts that really cemented him as the ruthless pirate he'd been made out to be. They made Sabo question whether or not his cocky attitude was warranted.

He shoved the papers into his bag with a sigh, looking around absently at the crowds. They were a lot of children, a lot of wives and husbands—the families of the marines. It always left him smiling, especially when an officer came home to see loved ones. The sight eased his nerves and by the time he stepped inside his own home he wasn't feeling so anxious.

Well, that was until he lit a few candles and saw the thin layer of dust covering every surface. _Lovely._ It wasn't like it was something that he wasn't used to; his house looked like that every time he came home from a long trip. But the fact that it didn't look lived-in, and that it didn't even feel all that much _like_ a home, left his mood just a little lower than it started. He wished he could say that he was one of those guys whose home was at sea, but really… it wasn't. It had more to do with being uprooted every few months and less to do with his love for adventure—which, he _did_ love adventure, but the sea was another story.

Okay. So he _may_ have still held a bit of unease at sea ever since his accident. But it was only a little! And he could blame it more on not knowing _how_ his boat caught fire than almost dying at sea itself. But that unease found him out of place on land and sea, and…

Maybe he was just lonely.

With a groan Sabo dropped his things against the wall and collapsed on his bed, never bothering to take off his shoes, and as exhaustion caught up with him he slipped off into a deep sleep.

When morning would come, all he would remember from his dreams were the thoughts and feelings of a small ten-year-old boy trapped in a cage, and a few aching words desperately repeated.

" _If I stay here I'll never be free!"_

* * *

 **Honestly this story's been so fun to work on so far. I'm enjoying myself more than I have in a long time even though the plot is kinda generic. So I hope you're enjoying it too, friends!**

 **Adieu~**


	2. Game of Cards

**Hello again! I'm enjoying writing this fic a lot more than I expected... So here's the next chapter! Glad to see you guys are enjoying it, too!**

* * *

 _Sabo sat atop the covers of his bed, staring down at his bandaged hands, flexing his fingers experimentally. It hurt, the left more so than the right, and brought the cause back into question. His accident wasn't something he liked to think about—not because it traumatised him, but because he had no recollection of it—of_ anything _. He hadn't cared much at first, his confusion keeping his thoughts occupied whenever the pain dulled well enough to think, but now as he healed he found his mind drifting back to the uncertainty of everything that came before._

 _He sighed._

 _Looking around the room it wasn't much, though being that he was only to stay there until he recovered it was all that he needed. His eyes always seemed to find their way to his belongings set atop the desk, put there by Hina—she was the lady who'd spoken to him that first day, and he was finding that he enjoyed her company. Granted he didn't_ have _her company all too often, being a busy marine as she was. She'd mentioned that his name was written on the inside of the bag, and that was how she'd known what to call him, but he hadn't given it much of a look. Infact… he hadn't so much as touched it. Now, alone in an East Blue Marine base, being given time to recover in solitude with nothing to do, well…_

 _He crawled across the bed to the desk and pulled the bag off of it and onto the mattress, blinking down at it. It really didn't look familiar… or maybe it did. He wasn't sure. Opening the contents he wasn't surprised to find what looked like provisions—food, first aid. Having been on a boat when it happened he supposed that much was expected. Why was he out at sea in the first place, he wondered?_

 _At the bottom of the bag, pressed against the side by everything that came before it, was a thin, hardcover book. It caught his interest and he dug everything else out, taking the book in his hands and staring at the brown leather held beneath his fingertips, tilting his head in curiosity. It could maybe be a log, as he was out at sea, but… they'd been near land. He had just set sail, so it should be empty. But despite that thought he untied the strings keeping it closed and flipped it open to the first page. In inky black on the inside of the cover he found a short, scribbled few words._

" _Sabo Outlook…"_

 _He swallowed the lump in his throat as something at the back of his mind buzzed at the sound. It was… familiar. Unquestioningly familiar. His heart began racing as his eyes slowly scrolled onto the first page, seeing an entry clearly written out. So it wasn't a log. A journal? Something with his thoughts written down, his…_

 _He slammed the cover shut when he heard the doorknob twist, smiling shakily as his doctor entered and receiving the same gesture in return._

" _Hello there, Sabo. How've you been feeling today?"_

" _Good," he stated, toothy grin backing his claim. "It's not hurting so much anymore. The cream feels nice."_

 _The doctor patted his head, dragging over the desk chair and plopping down atop it. "Great to hear. Let's get those bandages changed, hm?"_

 _As the bandages on his face were carefully unravelled he pushed the book beneath the pillow and tried to forget. Somehow he didn't think he wanted to read whatever was in those entries. Whatever it was… it was over now, right?_

 _He wanted to move on._

* * *

Sabo wasn't angry. Oh no, no. He wasn't angry that he'd spent three weeks tracking down _one pirate_ only for said pirate to have already set sail somewhere else _every bloody time he reached land._ No, he wasn't annoyed that he'd get an earful from the citizens for being a marine and arriving a day or two too late to do anything about it _every bloody time_. And he _certainly_ wasn't ready to call it quits and go back to his crew.

He was starting to understand why a lot of marines grew to be so bitter about the world.

Heaving a sigh he straightened his uniform, having just bathed and dressed, and took what he needed out of his bag before stepping out of the inn he'd lodged in the night before. Portgas _had to be there_. Or if he wasn't then, he _would_ be. It wasn't just a matter of how tired Sabo was getting of this journey; he pinpointed the Spade Pirates' next stop and due to them being engaged in battle along their journey, _had_ to have arrived before them. He only learned about it when he made it to shore the night before and read the local paper and had been giddy ever since. Oh, Sabo had a few _choice words_ for that pirate, having had to clean up the bastard's messes every step of the way.

...He wouldn't be able to say them, though, being that those choice words could start a fight and hinder Portgas's acceptance of the offer. Sometimes his job was the worst.

With a smile he greeted the innkeeper and left, looking around at the island. It was a humble little place with a modestly-sized city and great scenery. And for once he wasn't met with angry townsfolk. Honestly he wouldn't have minded if the crew took their sweet time getting there… a break from all the running around would be welcomed.

Firstly Sabo decided his stomach needed addressing. He was never big on breakfast but there were no cafes nearby, so he settled on a small restaurant close to the shoreline. It had a nice view, and if any pirate ships came to port he wouldn't be far away. He placed an order and waited with a cup of orange pekoe on the table and a newspaper in his hands. But his mind wasn't all too focused on what he was reading, and if asked to recite it he wouldn't have had a clue.

Over the past three weeks he'd had the occasional dream—two in total. Each dream was about this boy all alone, trapped in what Sabo could only describe as a bird cage. It was dark and drab, and no matter how hard the boy rattled the bars or thrashed about the walls remained and all he could do was sit there as his cries went answered and everything he wanted remained just out of reach.

Needless to say, it put a damper on Sabo's already bad mood. Ah well, he was used to weird dreams; he had them a lot as a boy, and sometimes they'd keep him up at night.

His food came about twenty minutes later and he wasted no time in devouring it, starting with the meat. Who know's why, but he'd always had a tendency to practically swallow any meat on his plate whole, as though if he didn't hurry to eat it, it would vanish into thin air. Sometimes people stared but he was never bothered by it; it wasn't like he'd forget his manners, he just just… ate. Fast. And maybe a bit desperately. So he knew the moment he started eating he was likely to garnish attention from at least a few of the other patrons.

An arm snaked its way over his shoulder and within seconds Sabo's sausage was pulled away on the pronged end of the stranger's fork. He sat frozen for a second, _baffled_ by what just happened, before slowly turning around to face the culprit.

"The hell's a _marine_ doing in a shithole like this?"

Sabo watched the man eat the last of the sausage before finally registering the situation. In the booth behind his sat a lone pirate, legs propped up on the table and a good twenty empty plates piled high off to the side. Sabo didn't really take much notice in the orange hat with the medallions, or the red beads strewn across the man's neck. What mattered most were the crumbs on that man's face and the shit-eating grin that made Sabo want to deck him.

...Bloody hell that was Portgas, wasn't it?

Alright, this was fine. Sabo was too big a person to start a fight over one single sausage. But this pirate hadn't _just_ stolen that sausage, oh no; this was the man who for _weeks_ Sabo had been—

He cleared his throat, smoothed out his expression. There was no way he was going to throw away three weeks of searching just for that. Eventually he was able to offer a polite, empty smile. "A bit forward, confronting a marine during his meal, don't you think?"

Portgas raised an eyebrow, leaning back in his seat, lounging like he didn't have a care in the world. His attitude was irritating… probably because it reminded Sabo so much of himself. "Maybe. Not like I give a shit."

"You know," Sabo twisted around to fully face him, "most pirates try to _avoid_ marines, not draw their attention."

The tilted head was mocking enough, but the way his cocky grin warped into a smirk was flat-out irritating. "Oh? What'cha gonna do about it?"

Sabo resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Here this guy was, trying to start a fight first thing in the morning, and Sabo just wanted some goddamn breakfast. Smile still firmly in place, he held out his hand. "Thomas Howard. A pleasure to finally meet you, Fire Fist."

Portgas blinked, the smirk sliding off his face a little as he was taken off guard, staring at the hand like it had six fingers. Eventually he looked back up, and as expected he never took the hand. "And who the hell are you s'pposed to be?"

"Thomas—"

"I heard your goddamn name. Don't play 'smartass' with me."

Well, the rumours of Portgas's short fuse were accurate enough, to Sabo's passive-aggressive joy. He took a moment to wipe his mouth and hands on a napkin before retrieving the letter from his inner coat pocket. "Actually I've been looking for you for a while now, Portgas, and I've got to say it's been a challenge. Your crew likes to wander a lot; you don't even wait for your log pose to reset. Daring of you."

Portgas snorted, crossing his arms as a very real scowl set on his face. "The hell's this about? Lookin' for me? What, you wanna try your hand at playing bounty hunter?"

Sabo glared dully at him. He'd heard stories of Portgas's good manners, but with such a foul mouth he was sure at this point that they were little more than tall tales. Or maybe Portgas was just like that with marines, hm… Shaking his head of the thought, he held out the envelope. "I was sent by Fleet Admiral Sengoku to deliver this."

Hesitantly Portgas took it, tearing it open to reveal the letter inside. He took a moment to read it over. "...They want _me_ to be a warlord?"

Sabo gave an energetic nod. Now that his anger had quelled the fact that his mission was reaching its close finally began to sink in. Every pirate wanted this opportunity; the warlords could do whatever they wanted without worrying about the government's interference. Well, _almost_. There were a _few_ clauses. And as much as Sabo disagreed with that whole system, he was glad it meant that his job would be made easier—

Portgas laughed. Soon the letter burst into flames until nothing but ash crumbled to the floor, and with it Sabo's words to Sengoku weeks prior came back into thought. "Ain't doin' it. Not now, not ever."

"You're not…" It took a moment for what was said to fully sink in and when it did Sabo sputtered. Okay, this guy was a rookie pirate still. Maybe he didn't know all of the perks that came with the position. "...No, see, you don't want to do that. Think for a second. Warlords get—"

"Shut up." Ace kicked the table, causing the room to go quiet and Sabo to eat his words. People stared, soon whispers followed. "I won't lower myself to being at the beck and call of trash like them. I'm _nobody's_ dog, you hear?"

Sabo's eye twitched and he let that sink in a moment before folding his arms over his chest, humming. "Rude. Well see, now we have a problem, because I said I'd return with your _confirmation_."

"Guess you'll just have to swallow your pride and take the blow to your ego."

He gave a short laugh. "Mm. No. See, I'm not going to do that."

The narrow look Portgas gave shared enough to know what he thought of _that_ , even before he leaned forward on the table or returned the smirk to his face with a repeat of the words, "Then what'cha gonna do 'bout it?"

Sabo returned the smug look with one of his own. "I can take care of myself."

"That so?"

The moment he saw the look he was getting, Sabo realised his mistake. _Shit._ A fight would _not_ help get this guy to accept the offer. More importantly, the warning flames licking across his opponent's shoulders worried him, not for his own safety but for the civilians around them. He'd seen first-hand just how destructive that particular pirate could be. So he tried to look intimidated, tried to make himself appear small, raising placating hands. "It was a joke. I'm not much of a fighter, honest. So don't shoot the messenger."

It wasn't hard to see how disappointed Portgas was but soon the flames were gone and he was back to slouching in his seat, a sure sign that there wasn't going to be some sudden blowout. And finally came the resolute mutter, "Won't do it. I can't stand the World Government. I _hate_ those scumbags."

The insults to his superiors didn't bother Sabo all that much, really. It was actually a welcomed change, seeing as all his coworkers did was kiss up to them. But his own stubborn pride refused to let the subject drop so that he could head back to Marineford. He hated losing.

"Look, Portgas…" He smiled, this time a little less forced. "Why don't I buy you a drink?"

* * *

Hanging around a pirate was something Sabo never thought he would do. A big part of him didn't know _why_ he was doing it, or what he hoped to accomplish through doing so. He knew that it wasn't all about pride; as much as he wanted to prove his words to Sengoku, after seeing Portgas's destructive power he knew _why_ the offer was so important. Having someone that strong on their side was good, yes, but as a warlord they could monitor him, even just a little. They would stand a better chance at tracking his movements, trying to keep damages to a minimum. Of course, at the same time Warlords weren't monitored as closely as other pirates and given more freedom, which almost defeated the pros… but there were _rules_ they had to follow.

Portgas wouldn't be allowed to cause damages to islands under the World Government's rule.

Still, he frowned at the man across from him, the one currently stuffing his face with an ungodly amount of food as they sat on the grass atop a cliffside view of the ocean. Sabo'd bought him that drink—and everything else as they wandered the bloody marketplace with Portgas taking whatever he pleased, _knowing_ that Sabo would feel obliged to pay for it all so that the poor townsfolk didn't get robbed. He felt like he'd been conned.

"Thomas, yeah?" Portgas asked, his words muffled by the food in his mouth. "What d'ya think you're gonna accomplish with all this? I ain't fuckin' joining."

"Yes, yes, whatever you say," he muttered with a sigh. In a way he was still just trying to understand why a pirate agreed to go along with a marine in the first place; free food didn't make all that much sense when considering Portgas was a moral deficient criminal who wouldn't think twice about stealing. Hell, his file held countless dine-and-dash charges. "I spent three weeks tracking you. I wasn't about to just pack my bags after a ten minute exchange."

"Should have," Portgas said, snatching up an apple and biting into it. "'Cause you ain't changing my mind. Jus' wastin' time."

Sabo rolled his eyes and poured himself a drink as he stared out over the horizon. A beautiful day, and they were drinking it away before noon. "The warlords aren't dogs, Portgas," he muttered, stretching out across the grass. There was something oddly nostalgic about cliffside views like that, something unrecalled that made them pleasantly soothing. "There are conditions, but being a warlord has far more benefits. You can make demands. You can get that bounty taken off your head. It's nothing to brag about now but once it grows you can bet it'll make your life difficult. No one is saying you have to _like_ the World Government. Hell, even _I'm_ not partial to them and I work for them _without_ any special deals. But joining is beneficial to you. They'll turn a blind eye. The restrictions you have to abide by are nothing in comparison to the freedoms you gain."

Portgas narrowed his eyes, took a breath. "You know what—"

Sabo yelped, narrowly avoiding the apple that was thrown at his head and _glowering_ at the pirate. " _Really_?"

The laughter that met him just rubbed salt into the wound as Fire Fist looked on with that—that _smug_ grin he always seemed to wear. "Ain't doin' it. Ask again and I'll set that ugly blond mop of yours on fire."

Sabo's eyebrow twitched, his hand automatically reaching up to touch his hair. "I wasn't _asking_ anything of you, Portgas. I was simply stating fact."

"Tryin' to bribe me, y'mean. You marines are all the same." He snorted. "Gotta say I'm curious, though. You report back to Sengoku? What's your rank?"

Sabo narrowed his eyes, wondering why the pirate was suddenly taking an interest in him. Portas hadn't cared before, and he somehow doubted it was genuine curiosity. "Captain."

" _Captain_? That's it?"

"What do you mean 'that's it'?!"

Ace laughed again and just shook his head, stealing a bottle of rum and snatching a newspaper out from within his odd-looking watermelon backpack, stretching it out and staring at the front page. Sabo just rolled his eyes at that, hunched over as he bitterly went over Ace's reaction to his rank. It was a good enough rank for his age, and he wasn't sure he _wanted_ a higher rank… More responsibilities, more restrictions. He could perfectly understand why Garp refused the position of Admiral.

Eventually he shoved those thoughts aside, sipping from his cup. Ace was just… looking at the paper, at that one news article. "And who'd you steal that from?"

"No one," came the muttered reply.

"Hmm…" As he looked closer at the back page he spotted the date in the corner. It was from a few months back, and he thought he vaguely remembered what was written that day… but he didn't bother trying to bring it to thought, his eyes instead falling to the black ink on Ace's arm. From what he could see, the ink disappearing beneath Ace's sleeve, it looked like a tattoo of, well… Ace. The name. Odd, perhaps, but even odder still was the crossed out 'S' right before the 'C' that had him snickering at the sight. "Few too many drinks one night, maybe?"

"What?" Ace looked up incredulously from the paper to the marine, then following Sabo's eyes to the tattoo and letting out a snort. "Intentional, believe it or not."

"I don't."

"Hell if I care. Hey—" Ace turned the newspaper around, holding the article he'd been staring at on display, the sheets taut between his fingers and a frown on his face. "You know anything about the guy who did this? Sabo?"

Immediately he tensed. Oh, well great, Ace was looking for him. The article in question was about a large arrest he and his crew performed a few months back, capturing a band of pirates with over a hundred members aboard and delivering them to Impel Down. It had been an impressive feat, at least to those in the area, and had been noteworthy enough to include an article about. It didn't go into detail, only saying that the arrest was conducted under the orders of Captain Sabo of the Marines. They hadn't even bothered to put his last name… and his first name sounded so lame with that title.

Ace couldn't be wanting to test his strength… could he?

"Why do you ask?"

"Just answer the goddamn question."

Sabo pressed his lips together, slouching in his seat. _Don't start a fight, don't start a fight._ "I may have seen him around, yeah. But why do you care? Thought 'Captain' wasn't a good enough rank for you."

Ace lunged forward, ignoring the question as he grabbed Sabo by the collar and pulled him close, a heat to his gaze far more intimidating than the fires Ace was known for. " _Where is he?!_ "

Sabo remained frozen, fixed in place by the outburst that had taken him aback as he watched flames licking along Ace's shoulders and arms, and he realised that they may have taken this too far. His hand rose to Ace's wrist in a crushing grip and held it there, using more and more force until the hand on his collar came loose, but he didn't let go.

He could tell by expression that Ace felt the pain.

"What—you fucking—"

"Don't try pulling this shit with me, Portgas. Calm down."

Ace's eyes widened before he snickered, wrenching free of the grip to rise to his feet as he rubbed his wrist. "'Weak' my ass. Ain't so useless after all, are ya, Thomas?"

Sabo returned the gesture with a smirk and stood as well, directly across from the pirate. "Caught me. Unfortunately I've seen what you can do. If you're not going to accept the offer then maybe it's best I bring you in."

"Oh yeah?" He flexed his hand, the flames growing more and more violent, less controlled, and Sabo could only be grateful that they were away from town. "Go ahead and try."

Sabo removed his bo staff from its place on his back, allowing the end to rest on the ground as he shifted his stance. Once ready he kicked it up into his hand and held it at the ready, cocky smirk still in place. "Alright. Let's see how good you are, Ace."

Sabo never really registered the way Ace's eyes widened, or the colour draining from his skin. "Sa—"

The first blow sent Ace sprawling to the ground as the side of the staff connected with his cheek, and Sabo heard a distinctive crack upon impact that almost had him wincing.

Portgas sat up, fingers pressed to his lip, and when he pulled them back he eyed the blood trailing down the tips, turning back to face Sabo, but… he didn't look all that angry. "Oi," he called, rising back to his feet, "just wait a fucking—"

But Sabo was already lunging again, the wide range of the staff finding Ace stumbling back as Sabo swung it left to right, and Sabo was left wondering just why he wasn't getting any counter attacks.

" _Oi!_ Fucking listen to me!" The staff was stopped, caught between two large hands as panted breaths escaped the pirate.

Sabo raised an eyebrow. "Already out of breath, Portgas?"

"Don't—don't _call me that_!"

"Then what am I supposed to call you?"

He bit his lip. " _Ace_! Like you did before!"

Ahh right, he'd made that slip-up earlier, hadn't he? Sabo shrugged it off and when he found the staff immobile he used it as an anchor to pivot himself, leaping up to kick at Ace's skull.

Ace dodged, barely, his stupid orange hat knocked askew. It fell, kept on his back only by the string around his shoulders.

Sabo was able to snatch back his staff when he landed and forced his own advance, finding satisfaction in the way Ace grit his teeth. But this didn't feel right—too simple, to _dull_.

Sparks launched into the air and his stomach fluttered with excitement. _That_ was what he'd been waiting for.

The flames jetting his way were easily dissipated with the spinning of his staff, causing not even a break in his advantage, and he frowned. Ace was stronger than this. Ace could destroy _towns_ with the destructive power he held and yet—

He shook his head and spun out when Ace sent a fist his way, coming back in with a right hook that managed to connect.

Lacking haki saw Ace phasing right through it, but it was enough to make the pirate stumble, his arms stretching out and hands beginning to glow—

By the time Sabo realised what was happening the entire field was covered in tiny green lights, hovering in place. It brought his movements to pause, his arms falling to his side, eyes following the drifting specks. _Fireflies…_

Ace let out a loud exhale as things finally seemed to settle, keeping his hands out in front of him, making those lights stay where they were, all huddled close to Sabo's body but not quite touching. "Can you fucking _listen_ now, damn it?!"

Sabo straightened his back, his focus still on those pretty little lights floating just out of reach. Experience told him just what those things would do if he moved, and as much as he had faith in his reflexes he didn't think it was worth the risk. So he looked to Ace, staring into uncertain grey eyes, and sighed. "Alright, Portgas. I'm listening. What are your demands?"

Ace cursed under his breath at the name he was being called but forwent addressing it, remaining just as tense as he was during their short spat. "You're—you're not Thomas."

He pressed his lips together. Was he figured out?

"...Sabo?"

The voice was so small, so uncertain that Sabo almost thought it came from another source, and… he didn't really know how to answer. There was this strange pleading to the tone that left him uneasy, averting his attention to the food still sprawled out across the ground.

"I fucking _knew it_!" Ace seemed to take his silence as confirmation, his hands beginning to tremble. "You—I thought you were _dead_! I never even _looked_ for you, and—and you're with the fucking _Marines_?!"

His head snapped back up then, brows furrowed in confusion as he lowered himself onto the ground, avoiding all the little 'fireflies' under Ace's control. "What are you on about?"

Ace froze then, arms falling to his sides and with them fell away his attack. "...What? You—"

"Cap'n!" Sabo looked past his opponent to see a large group fast approaching.

Ace let out a frustrated growl, his eyes still on Sabo. "Not now!"

"Marines are coming!"

With that Fire Fist had no choice but to look towards them and then to the horizon, where sure enough a marine vessel was nearing the docks. Sabo hadn't seen a pirate ship there… so the Spade pirates were probably hiding out somewhere out of sight while doing repairs.

There was a squabble amongst the group, one that Sabo couldn't bring himself to bother listening to apart from Ace's demands they stand their ground, but before long the crew was retreating, Ace left behind to stare down at Sabo. And stare. And _stare_ and it was getting unnerving—

Suddenly Ace was pulling Sabo to his feet by his collar, and Sabo was none too pleased upon hearing the rasp of tearing fabric. "You're—you're comin' with us, alright?"

Sabo's eyebrow twitched and he took Ace's hand into his own crushing grip, his tone flat, "I'm not going anywhere."

The stare-down didn't last half as long as expected and Ace turned away, cursing under his breath. "Fucking hell…"

As he watched the pirate march off Sabo was well aware that he could continue the fight, take advantage of Ace's unstable headspace and bring him in, but… he really didn't much care at that point. His mission was over, even if it meant taking the blow to his pride, and he just felt… drained. Not physically, not from their fight, no. That strange turn things took at the end just seemed to stick with him, playing in the forefront of his mind.

He watched the ship sailing across the waters—the Marine ship—thinking perhaps he could catch a ride with them. His catboat was nice and all, but it wasn't nearly as fast or comfortable. It looked like he'd have a good twenty minutes before they reached the shore, though, and he turned his head to the food he'd bought, figuring he could finish his meal while he waited…

His eyebrow twitched. The pirate had eaten it all.

Heaving a sigh he flopped back on the grass, staring up at the sky, watching the clouds float across the deep blue.

" _I thought you were_ dead _!"_

Now, six years later, he was starting to wonder what was written in that journal.

* * *

 **Can I just say I'm terrible at attempting fight scenes? This is why most of my fics have the bare minimum *cough***

 **To my lovelies~**

 **Smally: Hehehe very happy you're enjoying it hun! Honestly the part with Garp was my favourite part to work on last chapter, and it was surprisingly difficult to try to figure out how to go about it.**

 **Mah-Blackberreh: Well now you know how it went XD**

 **Coffee Fren: Pffffft very happy you are, here's more!**

 **Wordlet: Who knows~ Well the cover name order didn't really end up mattering as much because Ace isn't all that unobservant XD I agree Sabo belongs with the revolutionaries, but I think what's important to remember when considering alternate timelines is his strong sense of justice - not marine justice, but REAL justice. He has a strong moral code. So to an amnesiac with only feelings remaining and no prior knowledge, the marines really do line up in theory with what he wants. He can protect people as a marine. He just... doesn't remember the corruption that he'd been running from. So it's a lot more than who he woke up with deciding what happened to him. It's more that after spending time with them he started to see his own goals in them. At this point he didn't even know what the revolutionaries were, so the marines looked, well, pretty damn good an option XD**

 **Kitsune Foxfire: Oh yeah? We'll see about that XD**

 **Everlight18: Really? That's good, I like being original! XD The Garp scene was a loooot of fun to work on. Hard, but fun. Hopefully this chapter clears up how he remembered his name.**

 **ScarletRoofs: Yup, Garp knows it's him, and now so does Ace XD**

 **Ashlielle: Glad to see you so excited XD**

 **Vanimelde Melindel: Will do!**

 **Alyss Penedo: I think Ace accepting the offer would have given readers heart attacks xD I honestly don't know how I'm doing this, I don't even know WHAT I'm doing tbh *cough***

 **Moony the Mature One: I'll be updating my ongoing stories in the future, but as it says on my profile I have a new job (and am now also taking commissions) and don't have a lot of free time, so I've been working on independent things until I either gain more time or adapt to the new workload :) They're not dropped, they're not even really on hiatus, I just need time.**

 **Bluejay Blaze: Garp knows who Sabo is, but he could understand that Sabo wasn't aware, so he did what he could to keep from fucking things up for his grandson who had been doing so well for himself.**

 **AnyMoreBrightIdeasGenius: Glad you like~**

 **xTheCherryx: I suppose she is a bit like Koala, having to keep him in line XD Good, I'm glad it could make you emotional hehe~ I honestly never thought Sabo'd make all that bad of a marine, so I just had to play around with it AT LEAST once.**

 **Guest: HERE IS MORE FRIEND!**

 **thewibblywobblywolf: SDFJKGH YOU FLATTERER I'm very happy you liked the start of it!**

 **UnderTakerxXxMadnesS: Here it is~**

 **Adieu~**


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